Strongman Mitchell Hooper Dissects 9 Strategies for High-Quality Sleep

2023 World’s Strongest Man (WSM) and 2024 Arnold Strongman Classic champion Mitchell Hooper is prepping for his first WSM title defense on the 2024 WSM on May 1-5, 2024. Among all facets of his prep, essentially the most crucial is high-quality sleep.

I believe sleep is the closest performance-enhancing drug that’s approved by WADA.

Mitchell Hooper

“Sleep is a very powerful thing…to get your life, weight, and health on the right track; anything within the physical or mental realm,” says Hooper. Check out his explanation for why high-quality sleep is so critical and nine suggestions for improved shuteye below:

Why Sleep Is Important?

An easy Google search could explain how sleep can enhance physical performance, help prevent injuries, and improve mental health. Hooper delved deeper, referencing John Hopkins Medicine to underscore the intense health risks related to poor sleep, including increased possibilities of developing dementia, Type 2 diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and certain cancers.

Sleep deprivation can trigger hormonal imbalances, significantly impairing every day functions. Difficulty waking up and fatigue midway through the day are tell-tale signs of insufficient sleep.

Hooper’s Tips to Get Better Sleep

Hooper detailed the sustainable, effective practices he implements for sufficient sleep.

1. Set Room Temperature

Hooper suggested that the proper sleep temperature varies. Typically, women prefer warmer conditions, and men go for cooler ones. Having a consistent, comfortable temperature throughout the night is critical:

“The room ought to be barely cooler than you would like,” says Hooper. “We all know that cozy feeling underneath the duvet when every little thing else is cool. That is whenever you’ll sleep.” (1)

2. Use CPAP Machine

Hooper and plenty of other strongmen depend on continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines for restful sleep. The indicates that sleep apnea patients experience improved sleep quality using a CPAP machine. (2)

3. Limit Electronics (Blue Light)

Hooper limits blue light exposure — the kind emitted from smartphones — after 8 p.m. to align his circadian rhythm. Hooper suggested that sleep attained before midnight is significantly more restorative than sleep that begins after midnight.

4. Sleep in a Dark Room

The 2023 WSM presented a meta-analysis that displays the negative impact of nighttime light exposure on sleep quality. (3) To mitigate this, Hooper recommends using blackout curtains if not going to bed after dark.

“We have curtains that block out the sunshine, but our room still lights up within the morning,” shared Hooper. “As much as we did our greatest to make the room as dark as possible, I just prioritize sleeping when it’s dark outside.”

5. Avoid Caffeine

Although Hooper is comparatively insensitive to caffeine, he’s reduced his consumption to enhance his sleep. Conventional wisdom advises against caffeine consumption later within the day.

Delving right into a meta-analysis, Hooper highlights recommendations for consuming caffeine and pre-workout caffeine at the very least nine and 13 hours before sleep, respectively, to forestall disrupting sleep patterns. (4) That could be a troublesome guideline to follow, but one Hooper adheres to as best he can.

6. Baby Considerations

Hooper discussed the challenges of disrupted sleep with a newborn, crediting his wife for handling nighttime care, though he acknowledges this solution may not suit everyone.

Hooper noted that their baby sleeps individually from their room, with a baby monitor placed by his wife’s side of the bed. They also use a white noise machine to enhance sleep quality of their bedroom.

7. Cold Exposure Before Bed

Exposure to cold before bed can enhance sleep quality, per Hooper. Hooper typically spends five to 10 minutes outdoors within the Canadian winter each night before sleeping. Individuals who cool down before bed are likely to go to sleep faster. (5)

8. Exercise Daily

Strongmen typically exercise in lower volumes, but what matters is every day physical activity to assist improve sleep. Consequently, he emphasizes the importance of remaining energetic, aiming for at the very least half-hour of movement every day. The suggests regular, consistent exercise enhances sleep quality. (6)

9. THC?

THC, the psychoactive component of marijuana, helps Hooper go to sleep in minutes.  (7) Admittedly, CBD didn’t have the identical effects on him. However, one should at all times seek the advice of a physician before trying a brand new complement of any kind, and Hooper advises caution as well:

“Important disclaimer here: when you are only seeking to be as healthy as you’ll be able to be, is it something you have to be doing? I’m not convinced.”

Get to Bed!

Ultimately, Hooper suggests prioritizing sleep as the first factor to enhance athletic performance and overall health.

References

1. Fan, X., Shao, H., Sakamoto, M., Kuga, K., Lan, L., Wyon, D. P., . . . Wargocki, P. (2022). The effects of ventilation and temperature on sleep quality and next-day work performance: pilot measurements in a climate chamber. Building and Environment, 209, 108666. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2021.108666
2. Redline, S., Adams, N., Strauss, M. E., Roebuck, T., Winters, M., & Rosenberg, C. (1998). Improvement of mild sleep-disordered respiratory with CPAP compared with conservative therapy. American journal of respiratory and important care medicine, 157(3 Pt 1), 858–865. https://doi.org/10.1164/ajrccm.157.3.9709042
3. Xu, Y. X., Zhang, J. H., Tao, F. B., & Sun, Y. (2023). Association between exposure to light at night (LAN) and sleep problems: A scientific review and meta-analysis of observational studies. The Science of the entire environment, 857(Pt 1), 159303. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.159303
4. Gardiner, C., Weakley, J., Burke, L. M., Roach, G. D., Sargent, C., Maniar, N., Townshend, A., & Halson, S. L. (2023). The effect of caffeine on subsequent sleep: A scientific review and meta-analysis. Sleep medicine reviews, 69, 101764. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2023.101764
5. Lastella, M., Roach, G., Halson, S. L., & Sargent, C. (2019). The effects of cold water immersion on the quantity and quality of sleep obtained by elite cyclists during a simulated hill climbing tour. Sport Sciences for Health, 15(1), 223–228. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11332-018-0522-6
6. Yang, P. Y., Ho, K. H., Chen, H. C., & Chien, M. Y. (2012). Exercise training improves sleep quality in middle-aged and older adults with sleep problems: a scientific review. Journal of physiotherapy, 58(3), 157–163. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1836-9553(12)70106-6
7. Gorelick, D. A., Goodwin, R. S., Schwilke, E., Schroeder, J. R., Schwope, D. M., Kelly, D. L., Ortemann-Renon, C., Bonnet, D., & Huestis, M. A. (2013). Around-the-clock oral THC effects on sleep in male chronic every day cannabis smokers. The American journal on addictions, 22(5), 510–514. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1521-0391.2013.12003.x